At the Study Session meeting on February 5, 2019, the Beverly Hills City Council discussed the development of a policy that could prohibit the sale of all tobacco products in Beverly Hills and directed the Health and Safety Commission to explore the topic and to return to City Council with recommendations.

Over the next three to four months, the Health and Safety Commission will study the issue in detail to make recommendations to the City Council. On February 25, 2019, the Commission will hear an introduction to this issue. More detailed presentations and discussions will take place starting March 25, 2019. The next four meetings are scheduled as indicated below.

Monday, February 25, 2019 at 4:00 PM

Monday, March 25, 2019 at 4:00 PM

Monday, April 22, 2019 at 4:00 PM

Monday, May 20, 2019 at 4:00 PM

The meetings are locatad at 455 N Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills, 90210 in room 280A on the 2nd Floor. The public is welcome to attend all meetings and provide comment on the topic. If you are interested, but unable to attend, meetings are recorded live and posted online, typically within 3 days after the meeting.

The City of Beverly Hills has adopted a new ordinance prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products in Beverly Hills. The City's intent is to provide for the public's health, safety, and welfare by protecting the youth from commencing the inherently dangerous activity of smoking. The new law applies to all tobacco retailers within Beverly Hills.

A flavored tobacco product is any tobacco product that imparts a characterizing flavor other than the taste or aroma of tobacco, including, but not limited to, menthol, mint, wintergreen, fruit, chocolate, vanilla, honey, candy, cocoa, dessert, alcoholic beverage, herb, or spice.

The flavor ban applies to all tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, snuff, chewing tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and electronic cigarettes. Menthol cigarettes are included in the ban on flavored products. Products authorized by the United States Food and Drug Administration as a tobacco cessation product, such as nicotine gum, are not included in the ban.

Retailers have until December 21, 2018 to remove flavored products from store shelves. After this date, any tobacco retailer that sells a flavored tobacco product, will be in violation of the requirements for operation under its Tobacco and Electronic Cigarette Retailer Permit. A first violation to a permit condition is $250. A second violation within a five-year period is $750 and the permit is suspended for 90 days. A third violation within a five-year period is $1,000 and the permit shall be revoked.

Prospective Businesses

Generally speaking, the City treats e-cigarette and smoke shop use establishments the same if located in commercial zones where retail establishments are allowed. If you are a potential business owner interested in establishing a tobacco or e-cigarette business, please contact:

Development Services

Phone: (310) 285-1141

Current Businesses

The City's local regulations require tobacco and e-cigarette retailers to annually apply for a city permit to sell such products. The sales of such items from stand-alone vending machines are not allowed. For information about the tobacco and e-cigarette permit process, please contact:

Customer Service Division

Phone: (310) 285-2424

Code Violations

To report a code violation, please contact:

Beverly Hills Code Enforcement

Phone: (310) 285-1119

Policies in Development

For questions related to policies currently in development, please contact:

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